“I think that we’re turning that corner,” said Vital. “Guys are believing with each game that we are starting to win.”

Precious Achiuwa and Tyler Harris each had 16 points for Memphis (17-8, 6-6), which led for more than 25 minutes in the game, but could not put UConn away. Achiuwa also pulled down 13 rebounds, but hit just seven of his 22 shots.

The teams were tied at 25 at halftime and Memphis scored the first five points of the second half.

A 3-pointer by Vital from the right baseline tied the score at 41 midway through the half, and his two foul shots with just over five minutes left gave the Huskies a 49-47 lead.

UConn didn’t trail again.

A 3-pointer by Harris with two seconds left pulled the Tigers within a point at 62-61.

With the Huskies up 52-50, Vital stole a pass from Alex Lomax. He threw the ball off a Memphis player on the sideline then jumped back inbound, grabbed the ball and found Bouknight down the court for a dunk over Achiuwa and free throw that gave the Huskies a 55-50 lead with 3:05 left.

“Coach talks about making plays all the time,” Vital said. “And Bouk really highlighted it. He’s the one who made it a play by dunking on Precious like that. It was a good play for us.”

“It still comes down to the hustle plays,” Hardaway said. “The second-chance points and the points off turnovers are the area that sticks out most and that’s all that we worked on.”

BIG PICTURE

This was the last scheduled trip by Memphis to Hartford, with the Huskies leaving the American Athletic Conference for the Big East at the end of the season. The teams are tied 8-8 after splitting their two meetings this season. Memphis won 70-63 in Tennessee on Feb. 1.

UConn hit just one of its first 15 attempts from behind the arc and finished 4 of 23. The Huskies came into the game shooting 33% from 3-point range.

DEFENSE

Josh Carlton had a season-high 13 rebounds and Isaiah Whaley blocked six shots for the Huskies.

UP NEXT

Memphis hosts East Carolina on Wednesday night.

UConn travels to Philadelphia to take on Temple on Thursday night.

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